Tunisian Patients (tunisian + patient)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Aggravating factors for melasma: a prospective study in 197 Tunisian patients

JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 9 2010
C Guinot
Abstract Background, Melasma is a frequent cause of consultations at dermatology departments by dark-skinned patients in Tunisia. Objective, To investigate factors that influence melasma severity in a large Tunisian population. Methods, A total of 197 patients (188 women and 9 men), who attended Tunis Military Hospital for a consultation were included prospectively from August 2005 to August 2006. Disease severity was estimated using the Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI). Aggravating factors were investigated using multiple logistic regressions. Results, Of the women included, 14% presented phototype III, 45% phototype IV and 41% phototype V; 76% presented a centrofacial melasma phenotype, 23% a malar and 1% a mandibular phenotype. About 60% developed melasma before thirty. Sun exposure was reported as a triggering factor by 51% of women and as an aggravating factor by 84%. Pregnancy was reported as an aggravating factor by 51% of women who had been pregnant, and oral contraceptive use reported by 38% of women exposed to oral contraceptives. The risk of severe melasma was about three times higher for women with age at onset under 30, phototype V and major lifetime sun exposure and about 8 times higher for women exposed to oral contraceptives. Conclusion, This study identifies a number of factors associated with the severity of melasma. Further epidemiological studies in this type of population, in particular, to investigate triggering factors, are justified by the aesthetic damage caused by melasma in dark-skinned patients, lack of efficacy of existing treatments, non-compliance with photoprotection recommendations and the challenge of treatment. [source]


Histological characterization of Darier's disease in Tunisian families

JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 10 2009
S Kassar
Abstract Background, Darier's disease (OMIM 124200) is an autosomal-dominant skin disorder characterized by warty papules and plaques in seborreheic areas, palmo-plantar pits and distinctive nail abnormalities. The disease has complete penetrance in adults and variable expressivity. It is caused by mutations in the ATP2A2 gene, which encodes the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase type 2 isoform (SERCA2). Objective, We report histological investigations of six unrelated Tunisian families including 15 affected individuals with Darier's disease mutations. Results, The typical histological features of Darier's disease have been observed in the 15 patients. Variable histological features have been observed among Tunisian patients ranging from mild to moderate lesions of Darier's disease. A significant correlation has been observed between the clinical presentation of the Darier's disease (mild or moderate) and the intensity of the histological features. Isolated acral form of Darier's disease was seen in one case. Two distinct original associations have been observed: Darier's disease/pemphigus vulgaris in one patient and Darier's disease/ichtyosis in the other patient. Conclusion, Our findings confirmed the clinical heterogeneity of Darier's disease on the basis of histological study. The intensity of the histological features could be closely correlated to the severity of Darier's disease clinical presentation. [source]


Genetic variants in RELN are associated with otosclerosis in a non-European population from Tunisia

ANNALS OF HUMAN GENETICS, Issue 5 2010
Ayda Khalfallah
Summary Otosclerosis is a common form of conductive hearing loss, caused by an abnormal bone remodelling in the otic capsule. Both environmental and genetic factors have been implicated in the etiology of this disease. A recent genome wide association study identified two regions associated with otosclerosis, one on chr7q22.1, located in the RELN gene, and one on chr11q13.1. A second study in four European populations has replicated the association of the RELN gene with otosclerosis. To investigate the association of these loci with otosclerosis in a non-European population, we tested 11 SNPs from the two regions in 149 unrelated Tunisian patients and 152 controls. Four SNPs were significantly associated with otosclerosis. Three SNPs are located in the RELN region and the last one is located in the region on chromosome 11. We also observed a significant interaction with gender for rs3914132. This suggests an influence of sex on the association of RELN with otosclerosis. A meta-analysis showed that the disease-associated alleles in the Tunisian sample are the same as in all previously reported associations. Our study provides additional evidence implicating RELN in the development of otosclerosis. Additional functional studies should determine the role of RELN in the physiopathology of this disease. [source]


Anti-desmoglein-1 antibodies are prevalent in Tunisian patients with hydatidosis and leishmaniasis

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 3 2007
M. Kallel Sellami
No abstract is available for this article. [source]


Association between renin,angiotensin,aldosterone system genotypes and haplotypes and risk of ischemic stroke of atherosclerotic etiology

ACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 6 2009
S. Saidi
Objective,,, The association of renin C-4063T and angiotensinogen (AGT) T174M, AGT M235T and AGT A-6G polymorphisms with ischemic stroke of atherosclerotic etiology was investigated in 329 Tunisian patients with stroke and 444 controls. Materials and methods,,, Genotyping was performed using PCR-RFLP and the contributions of polymorphisms to the risk of stroke were analyzed using haplotype and multivariate regression analysis. Results,,, AGT 235T and AGT-6G allele and AGT 235T/T, AGT-6A/G and AGT-6G/G genotype frequencies were higher in patients. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) was noted for AGT174T with AGT235M and AGT(-6)A in patients, while AGT235M was in LD with AGT(-6)A in controls and AGT235T was in LD with AGT(-6)G in both groups. The AGT 174T/235T/-6A and AGT 174T/235M/-6G haplotypes were positively and negatively associated with stroke respectively. Multivariate regression analysis identified AGT 174T/235M/-6A, AGT 174T/235T/-6G, AGT 174T/235T/-6A and AGT 174M/235T/-6A haplotypes to be significantly associated with an increased risk of stroke. Conclusions,,, Renin,angiotensin,aldosterone system polymorphisms influence the risk of atherosclerotic stroke in Tunisians. [source]